Abstract: A polysilicon electrode layer (103) (a first electrode layer) is formed by forming a polysilicon film on a gate oxide film (102) on a silicon wafer (101). A tungsten layer (105) (a second electrode layer) is formed on this polysilicon electrode layer (103). In addition, a barrier layer (104) is formed on the polysilicon electrode layer (103) before the formation of the tungsten layer (105). Etching is then conducted using a silicon nitride layer (106) as the etching mask. Next, an oxide insulating film (107) is formed on an exposed surface of the polysilicon layer (103) by plasma oxidation wherein a process gas containing oxygen gas and hydrogen gas is used at a process temperature not less than 300° C. With this method, a selective oxidation of the polysilicon electrode layer (103) can be carried out without oxidizing the tungsten layer (105).

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon oxide film on silicon exposed on a surface of a workpiece includes mounting the workpiece on a mounting table in a processing chamber; generating plasma of a process gas containing oxygen by supplying the process gas into the processing chamber; applying a bias to the workpiece by supplying high-frequency power to the mounting table; and forming the silicon oxide film by applying the plasma to the biased workpiece and oxidizing the silicon. A ratio of oxygen in the process gas is set to be in the range of 0.1% to 10%. A pressure in the processing chamber is set to be in the range of 1.3 Pa to 266.6 Pa upon forming the silicon oxide film. An output of the high-frequency power is set to be in the range of 0.14 W/cm2 to 2.13 W/cm2 per unit area of the workpiece.

Abstract: A plasma oxidizing method includes a step of placing an object to be processed and having a surface containing silicon on a susceptor disposed in a processing vessel of a plasma processing apparatus, a step of producing a plasma from a processing gas containing oxygen in the processing vessel, a step of supplying high-frequency electric power to the susceptor and applying a high-frequency bias to the object to be processed when the plasma is produced, and a step of forming a silicon oxide film by oxidizing silicon in the surface of the object to be processed by the plasma.

Abstract: In order to form an insulating film, which constitutes a flat interface with silicon, by CVD, a surface of silicon is oxidized to form a silicon oxide film using a plasma treatment apparatus in which microwaves are introduced into a chamber through a flat antenna having a plurality of holes. A silicon oxide film is formed as an insulating film on the silicon oxide film by CVD. Further, in the plasma treatment apparatus, a treating gas containing a noble gas and oxygen is introduced into the chamber, and, further, microwaves are introduced into the chamber through the flat antenna. Plasma is generated under a pressure in the range of not less than 6.7 Pa and not more than 533 Pa to modify the insulating film with the plasma.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for performing a plasma process on a substrate including a tungsten-containing film, cleaning is performed for a process chamber. This cleaning includes, after the plasma process, supplying a gas containing O2 into the process chamber without setting the process chamber opened to the atmosphere, and generating plasma of the gas to clean the process chamber.

Abstract: In a plasma oxidation processing apparatus (100) which supplies a high-frequency bias power to an electrode (7) embedded in a stage (5), the interior surface, which is to be exposed to a plasma, of an aluminum lid (27) which functions as an opposite electrode for the stage (5) is coated with a silicon film (48) as a protective film. Positioned adjacent to the silicon film (48), an upper liner (49a) and a thicker lower liner (49b) are provided on the interior surfaces of a second container (3) and a first container (2). This prevents a short circuit or abnormal electrical discharge to the interior surfaces, making it possible to form a proper high-frequency current path and enhance the efficiency of power consumption.

Abstract: In oxidation of a silicon having irregularities, a silicon oxide film having a thickness as small as possible is formed in the side wall as compared with the bottom. A plasma is generated, using a plasma processing apparatus (100) which introduces microwave into a chamber (1) through a plane antenna (31) having plural microwave radiating holes (32), while applying a high-frequency power to a stage (2), under the conditions that the proportion of oxygen in the processing gas is in the range of 0.1 to 50% and the processing pressure is in the range of 1.3 to 667 Pa. By using this plasma, the ratio of the thickness of the silicon oxide film formed on the side wall surfaces of the irregularities to the thickness of the silicon oxide film formed on the bottom wall surfaces of the recessed portions of the irregularities is made not more than 0.6, while the thickness of the silicon oxide films formed on the bottom wall surfaces is not less than 6 nm and not more than 20 nm.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for plasma-processing a target substrate is provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a metallic processing container forming a processing space in which a plasma process is performed, and a substrate mounting table provided in the processing space to mount a target substrate thereon, a quartz member which shields a sidewall of the metallic processing container from the processing space and whose lower end extends to a position lower than a substrate mounting surface of the substrate mounting table, an annular member which is made of quartz and is provided between a bottom surface of the quartz member and a bottom wall of the metallic processing container to shield the bottom wall of the metallic processing container from the processing space, and a processing gas inlet part for introducing a processing gas into the processing space from a vicinity of an outer periphery of the substrate mounting table.

Abstract: An object to be processed which has silicon on its surface is loaded in a processing chamber. A plasma of a processing gas containing oxygen gas and nitrogen gas is generated in the processing chamber. The silicon on the surface of the object to be processed is oxidized by the plasma, thereby forming a silicon oxide film.

Abstract: To form a good quality silicon oxide film provided with both a superior Qbd characteristic and Rd characteristic, a wafer W is loaded into a plasma treatment apparatus where the surface of a silicon layer 501 of the wafer W is treated by plasma oxidation to form on the silicon layer 501 to a film thickness T1 a silicon oxide film 503. Next, the wafer W on which the silicon oxide film 503 is formed is transferred to a thermal oxidation treatment apparatus where the silicon oxide film 503 is treated by thermal oxidation to thereby form a silicon oxide film 505 having a target film thickness T2.

Abstract: A silicon oxide film is formed in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus by performing oxidation process, by using plasma to a processing object having a patterned irregularity, wherein the plasma is generated while high-frequency power is supplied to a mount table under the conditions that the oxygen content in a process gas is not less than 0.5% and less than 10% and the process pressure is 1.3 to 665 Pa.

Abstract: A plasma oxidizing method in which a plasma is produced in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus under a processing condition that the proportion of oxygen in the processing gas is 20% or more and the processing pressure is 400 to 1333 Pa, and silicon exposed from the surface of an object to be processed is oxidized by the plasma to form a silicon oxide film.

Abstract: A pattern forming method includes preparing a target object including silicon with an initial pattern formed thereon and having a first line width; performing a plasma oxidation process on the silicon surface inside a process chamber of a plasma processing apparatus and thereby forming a silicon oxide film on a surface of the initial pattern; and removing the silicon oxide film. The pattern forming method is arranged to repeatedly perform formation of the silicon oxide film and removal of the silicon oxide film so as to form an objective pattern having a second line width finer than the first line width on the target object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming a silicon oxide film, with a substantially uniform film thickness and without being so influenced by dense sites and scattered sites in a pattern provided on an object to be processed, while keeping advantageous points of a plasma oxidation process performed under a lower-pressure and lower-oxygen-concentration condition. In this method, plasma of a processing gas is applied to a surface of the object having a concavo-convex pattern, in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, so as to oxidize silicon on the surface of the object, thereby forming the silicon oxide film. The plasma is generated under the condition that a ratio of oxygen in the processing gas is within a range of 0.1% to 10% and pressure is within a range of 0.133 Pa to 133.3 Pa.

Abstract: A silicon oxide film forming method includes a step of placing an object to be processed and having a surface having a projecting/recessed pattern and containing silicon in a processing vessel of a plasma processing apparatus, a step of producing a plasma from a processing gas containing oxygen at a proportion of 5 to 20% under a processing pressure of 267 to 400 Pa in the processing vessel, and a step of forming a silicon oxide film by oxidizing silicon in the surface of the object to be processed by the plasma.

Abstract: A plasma oxidizing method includes a step of placing an object to be processed and having a surface containing silicon on a susceptor disposed in a processing vessel of a plasma processing apparatus, a step of producing a plasma from a processing gas containing oxygen in the processing vessel, a step of supplying high-frequency electric power to the susceptor and applying a high-frequency bias to the object to be processed when the plasma is produced, and a step of forming a silicon oxide film by oxidizing silicon in the surface of the object to be processed by the plasma.

Abstract: A plasma oxidation process is performed to form a silicon oxide film on the surface of a target object by use of plasma with an O(1D2) radical density of 1×1012 [cm?3] or more generated from a process gas containing oxygen inside a process chamber of a plasma processing apparatus. During the plasma oxidation process, the O(1D2) radical density in the plasma is measured by a VUV monochromator 63, and a correction is made to the plasma process conditions.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent an increase in film thickness and inhibit a reduction in capacity of a capacitor. In a semiconductor device having a capacitor, the capacitor includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and an insulating film interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. A surface of the lower electrode on an insulating layer side is nitrided. If the lower electrode is made of polysilicon, nitriding the surface thereof increases oxidation resistance at the time of heat treatment in a post process. Particularly in a DRAM, the capacity of the capacitor is large, and therefore, this effect is significant. Further, leakage current inside the capacitor is also reduced.

Abstract: A selective oxidation process is performed on a gate electrode in a plasma processing apparatus 100. A wafer W with the gate electrode formed thereon is placed on a susceptor 2 within a chamber 1. Ar gas, H2 gas, and O2 gas are supplied from an Ar gas supply source 17, an H2 gas supply source 18, and an O2 gas supply source 19 in a gas supply system 16 through a gas feed member 15 into the chamber 1. At this time, a flow rate ratio H2/O2 of H2 gas relative to O2 gas is set to be 1.5 or more and 20 or less, preferably to be 4 or more, and more preferably to be 8 or more. Further, the pressure inside the chamber is set to be 3 to 700 Pa, such as 6.7 Pa (50 mTorr).

Abstract: A polysilicon electrode layer (103) (a first electrode layer) is formed by forming a polysilicon film on a gate oxide film (102) on a silicon wafer (101). A tungsten layer (105) (a second electrode layer) is formed on this polysilicon electrode layer (103). In addition, a barrier layer (104) is formed on the polysilicon electrode layer (103) before the formation of the tungsten layer (105). Etching is then conducted using a silicon nitride layer (106) as the etching mask. Next, an oxide insulating film (107) is formed on an exposed surface of the polysilicon layer (103) by plasma oxidation wherein a process gas containing oxygen gas and hydrogen gas is used at a process temperature not less than 300° C. With this method, a selective oxidation of the polysilicon electrode layer (103) can be carried out without oxidizing the tungsten layer (105).